UNIVERSAL ORLANDO DEBUTS MOST ADVANCED THRILL RIDE EVER CONCEIVED: REVENGE OF THE MUMMY-THE RIDE
Based on the phenomenally popular "Mummy" films that have grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide, and heralding a new era in thrill rides, Universal Studios in Orlando opens Revenge of The Mummy-The Ride this spring, the first attraction in history to feature an unprecedented fusion of threshold technology, high-speed roller coaster engineering and space age robotics, which propels guests through special effects-laden, authenticated, ancient Egyptian catacombs.
Ten years in research and development, the indoor thrill ride integrates design concepts by cinema visionary Stephen Sommers, who, as writer and director, reinvigorated the classic Universal monster film, "The Mummy", into a 1999 worldwide smash, as well as its even more popular 2001 sequel, "The Mummy Returns."
"It's going to be huge, it's going to be fast. It's like nothing you've ever seen before," said Sommers. "We really wanted to get people's adrenaline pumping. We took a lot of care and attention to detail to create this ride. We wanted it to be better than the movies!"
"This is the latest evolution for the entire ride industry," said Scott Trowbridge, vice president of design and creative development for Universal Parks & Resorts. "The Revenge of The Mummy ride is the next threshold attraction in our industry, there is no other ride like it anywhere."
Dubbed the world's first "psychological" thrill ride, Revenge of The Mummy-The Ride places riders in seeming jeopardy, bringing them face-to-face with both physical and psychological fears, fear of the dark, fear of bugs, fear of fire, fear of falling, fear of being out of control and more.
The ride possesses the most advanced robotic animated figures ever engineered, elaborately staged "dark ride scenes" and a revolutionary new ride track employing linear induction motors to create a series of visual, visceral and motion-based effects that continually surprise guests while drawing them into Sommers' immersive storylines. In one of the world's largest sound stages, unsuspecting guests are swept into a terrifying underworld of ancient Egypt awash in deadly curses, powerful forces of nature and vengeful creatures intent on wreaking havoc.
Indeed, the design and construction of the ride marks an unparalleled collaboration between the worlds of moviemaking and theme park design. Sommers' longtime creative partner, Bob Ducsay, also applied extensive creative input into the ride.
Revenge of The Mummy-The Ride themed elements are the most elaborate ever created for a thrill ride experience. Universal's ride producers traveled to Egypt and The British Museum to assure the authenticity of the ride' shadowy, curse-ridden interior environment, that includes everything from glistening golden amulets to dusty Canopic Jars designed to contain the grisly remains of the long-deceased Egyptian royalty portrayed in the ride.
Utilizing engineering techniques gleaned from the Mars robotic range vehicle, the attraction includes an animated figure of the fearsome Mummy that will thrill and frighten visitors with its realistic and lifelike movements "the most advanced robotic figure ever created." At 6'8" and 650 pounds, the gargantuan and threatening figure has a fluidity and range of movement which is nothing like that anticipated from a robot.
"When we conceived of such cutting-edge attractions as Back To The Future, Terminator 2: 3D, and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man," said Trowbridge, "we envisioned that there was yet another level to enthrall our guests." "We researched and integrated technology from a multitude of areas and then searched for the right story to make this ride leap to life. Revenge of The Mummy accomplishes that."
Revenge of The Mummy-The Ride will also open at Universal Studios Hollywood in June of 2004.
